Jaye Valentine
Published: 2009-08-24
Total Pages: 56
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Spencer Patterson writes "news" reports on paranormal phenomena for The Weekly Harbinger, a national tabloid magazine. He's had a lifelong love affair with all things supernatural, and having failed at serious news reporting, he eventually merged his hobby with his journalism degree and embarked on a tabloid career. On assignment in the sleepy Massachusetts town of Fall River, home of the infamous Lizzie Borden axe murders, Spencer meets and falls for sexy Virgil Slade, lifelong resident and owner of a nearby bed-and-breakfast. Things are not as they seem. Virgil, with his hot body, sexy dreadlocks and unusual tattoos, harbors a tremendous secret that turns Spencer's world upside down. Special Content Alert: M/M Excerpt: Virgil flung open a door near the rear of the house, gesturing down a narrow flight of stairs that disappeared into darkness. "Be careful," he said. "You can light some candles while I put my contact lenses in, but don't light more than three or four." "Virgil-" He grabbed my shoulders, pulled me roughly onto my toes and crushed his mouth against mine. I whimpered again and wondered briefly why in the hell he had that effect on me. I had never whimpered before, ever, not for anyone, yet he seemed to be able to yank that helpless little sound from me with little effort. On top of that, my dick was now as stiff as a board. He had that effect on me, too. Considering how petrified I was regarding what he wanted to talk about, my mind and body didn't feel at all connected. I was scared, still half-drunk from the wine, and yet I felt more heat gathered between my legs than on summer sand at the Jersey Shore. And then a horrible thought occurred to me. Shit . . . maybe he was dying or something. Maybe whatever made his eyes so sensitive to light was fatal. Maybe he wanted to have one more romantic fling before he kicked the bucket, and he wanted me to be part of his finale. Wouldn't that fucking figure? Jesus. I wrested away from the kiss and pulled back from his grasp. "Virgil, you're really scaring me." He took me in his arms and pulled me hard against his chest, embracing me, kissing my hair with soft, quick little pecks like a mother consoling an injured child. "There's nothing to be scared of," Virgil whispered when he finished peppering my head with kisses. "I promise, no matter how it seems at first, there is nothing to be afraid of. Especially not me, I swear." Dazed, numb, my mind whirled in directions I couldn't begin to fathom, and all I could do was nod against his chest. "Okay," I whispered. "Okay. Whatever it is, I promise I'll try not to freak out too much." "Try" being the operative word, there. His breathy sigh danced across my hair. I stepped back, and after offering him my bravest smile, I headed down those steep, dark stairs. He'd promised me there was nothing to be scared of, least of all him. I wanted to believe that so badly, I think I'd have walked through a flaming door marked "PERDITION" if he had asked me to. But it was just a basement apartment, he was just a man, and I was just being silly. That was my mantra as the steps creaked under my weight and the door clicked shut behind me. When I felt Virgil touch my elbow, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I heard him chuckle, and then he put something made of cold metal in my hand-an extra-long butane lighter. He kissed me on the forehead. "No more than three or four. I'll be right back. Please don't be afraid." I heard a door close, and soft light crept out from under what was presumably the bathroom door. I entertained the notion of running for the hills for exactly a fraction of a second, but I had to know what this mystery would turn out to be. I took a deep breath, flicked the oversized Bic and squinted in search of the nearest candle.